Career
He spent nearly all his playing career as a centre-half for Luton Town. Born in Birmingham to Florence Laura (née Whiley) and Henry Sydney Owen, Owen began his football career playing for the Birmingham Young Men’s Christian Association team before joining Birmingham City as a youth player. After the end of the Second World War, he made it into the club"s first team for the 1946-1947 season, but played just five times in the Second Division and was allowed to leave at the end of the season.
Owen signed for Luton in June 1947.
He made 388 first-team appearances for the Hatters, and after constant displays of natural ability in the 1949-1950 Football League season, was appointed as captain by manager Dally Duncan. He also played twice for the Football League XI. In 1959, his final season as a player, Owen was named the FWA Football player of the Year.
As well as serving as manager for the match, he also captained the side from his position at centre-half. After less than a year in the job, a "fundamental disagreement on policy" led to his resignation on 23 April 1960.
He later became first team coach of Leeds United under Jack Taylor and then Don Revie throughout the 1960s and 1970s, bringing with him trainer Les Cocker.
In 1978, he was hired by Manchester United manager Dave Sexton to be the club"s youth coach. He remained in the position for three years until shortly after Sexton"s departure from the club at the end of the 1980-1981 season. Owen is credited with spotting the potential of Mark Hughes as a striker, having selected him for the youth team during his final season working at Old Trafford.